וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶּחֱטָא וְשָׁמְעָה קוֹל אָלָה. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: אֶל תְּבַהֵל עַל פִּיךָ וְלִבְּךָ אֶל יְמַהֵר לְהוֹצִיא דָבָר לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' (קהלת ה, א), אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהֵם מְחָרְפִין שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. בֹּא וּרְאֵה, כְּשֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, בַּחֲצִי הַשֵּׁם נִבְרְאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי בְּיָהּ ה' צוּר עוֹלָמִים (ישעיה כו, ד). וְלָמָּה לֹא נִבְרְאוּ בְּכָל הַשֵּׁם כֻּלּוֹ. כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַזְכִּיר בּוֹ אֶת הַשֵּׁם שָׁלֵם. אוֹי לָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁמְּחָרְפִין שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חִנָּם. רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב בַּקָּרְבָּנוֹת, אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַה', עֹלָה לַה'. אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר לַה' קָרְבָּן, לַה' עוֹלָה. וּבְנֵי אָדָם מְחָרְפִין וּמְגַדְּפִין שְׁמוֹ חִנָּם. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: אַל תְּבַהֵל עַל פִּיךָ וְגוֹ' כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְאַתָּה עַל הָאָרֶץ. כִּי מִי יֹאמַר שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵין בְּנֵי אָדָם עַל הָאָרֶץ. אֶלָּא אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַחַלָּשׁ שֶׁבַּחַלָּשִׁים מִלְּמַעְלָה, הוּא מְנַצֵּחַ אֶת הַגִּבּוֹר מִלְּמַטָּה. צֵא וּלְמַד מֵאֲבִימֶלֶךְ, וַתַּשְׁלֵךְ אִשָּׁה אַחַת פֶּלַח רֶכֶב עַל רֹאשׁ אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וַתָּרִץ אֶת גֻּלְגָּלְתּוֹ (שופטים ט, נג). וְאִם הוּא הָיָה גִּבּוֹר שֶׁאֵין בְּכָל הַגִּבּוֹרִים כְּמוֹתוֹ וַהֲרָגַתּוּ אִשָּׁה מִלְּמַעְלָה, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב בּוֹ, וְכָל דַּיְּרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָא חֲשִׁיבִין וּכְמִצְבְּיֵהּ עָבַד וְגוֹ' (דניאל ד, לב), וְאוֹמֵר: כִּי ה' עֶלְיוֹן נוֹרָא, מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ (תהלים מז, ג), וּבְנֵי אָדָם לְמַטָּה, עַל כֵּן יִהְיוּ דְּבָרֶיךָ מְעַטִּים (קהלת ה, א). וּמֶה עָלֶיךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת. לִתֵּן יָדְךָ עַל פִּיךָ וְעַל אָזְנַיִם, שֶׁלֹּא לְדַבֵּר וְלֹא לִשְׁמֹעַ. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶּחֱטָא. וְהוּא עֵד אוֹ רָאָה אוֹ יָדַע. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: חוֹלֵק עִם גַּנָּב שׂוֹנֵא נַפְשׁוֹ אָלָה יִשְׁמַע וְלֹא יַגִּיד (משלי כט, כד). מִי גָּרַם לָאָדָם שֶׁיֹּאמַר עָלָיו זֶה, נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶּחֱטָא, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי מָה, שֶׁלֹּא בָּא וְהִגִּיד לֶחָכָם, פְּלוֹנִי גִּדֵּף שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. לְפִיכָךְ, אִם לֹא יַגִּיד וְנָשָׂא עֲוֹנוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, חוֹלֵק עִם גַּנָּב שׂוֹנֵא נַפְשׁוֹ. שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַגַּנָּב נִתְפָּשׂ וְשֻׁתָּפוֹ עִמּוֹ מִתְחַיֵּב, כָּךְ מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ גִּדּוּפוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאֵינוֹ מַגִּיד, מִתְחַיֵּב עִמּוֹ. וְלֹא יֹאמַר אָדָם, מַה לָּשׁוֹן הָרַע אֲנִי אוֹמֵר. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עַל כָּל דָּבָר, יֵשׁ בּוֹ לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. עַל קִלְלַת הַשֵּׁם אֵין בּוֹ לָשׁוֹן הָרַע לָמָּה. שֶׁכְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָדָם מְקַלֵּל אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בִּלְעֲדוֹ וְאַחֵר שׁוֹמֵעַ וְאִכְפַּת לוֹ. אֲבָל אִם מְקַלֵּל אָבִיו בְּפָנָיו, הֲלֹא הוּא נוֹתֵן נַפְשׁוֹ וְאוֹמֵר: לְאָבִי קִלַּלְתָּ. אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, הֲלֹא הוּא אָבִיךְ קָנֶךָ הוּא עָשְׂךָ וַיְכוֹנְנֶךָּ (דברים לב, ו). וְהוּא עֵד אוֹ רָאָה. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אִם בִּקַּשְׁתָּ, לְהָעִיד. וְאִם לָאו, אֲנִי מֵעִיד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהוּא עֵד. וּמִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאָנֹכִי הַיּוֹדֵעַ וָעֵד נְאֻם ה' (ירמיה כט, כג). בֹּא וּרְאֵה, כָּל הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַכְּתוּבוֹת בַּסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה, כָּתוּב בָּהֶן שְׁגָגָה, חוּץ מִפָּרָשָׁה זוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בָּהּ שְׁגָגָה. עָלָיו אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, אֶל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ וְאַל תֹּאמַר לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ כִּי שְׁגָגָה הִיא (קהלת ה, ה), כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' (קהלת ה, א). מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה. לִשְׁנַיִם שֶׁרָגְמוּ אִיקּוֹנִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, אֶחָד שָׂכוּר וְאֶחָד בְּדַעְתּוֹ. נִתְפְּשׂוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם וְעָלוּ לַבִּימָה, וְנָתַן אַפּוֹפְּסִין לְבֶן הַדַּעַת, וּפָנָה לַשָּׂכוּר. כָּךְ כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא חוֹטֵא, כְּתִיב עָלָיו שְׁגָגָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶּחֱטָא בִּשְׁגָגָה, וְאִם נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת תֶּחֱטָא בִּשְׁגָגָה, וְאִם כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ. וְכֻלָּם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם חוֹטְאִים בִּשְׁגָגָה, מְבִיאִין קָרְבָּן וּמִתְכַּפֵּר לָהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנִסְלַח לְכָל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם כִּי לְכָל הָעָם בִּשְׁגָגָה (במדבר טו, כו). אֲבָל הַמְגַדֵּף, נוֹטֵל אַפּוֹפְּסִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנוֹקֵב שֵׁם ה' מוֹת יוּמָת (ויקרא כד, טז). וּכְתִיב: וְנִשְׁבַּעְתָּ חַי ה' בֶּאֱמֶת בְּמִשְׁפָּט וּבִצְדָקָה, וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בוֹ גּוֹיִם וּבוֹ יִתְהַלָּלוּ (ירמיה ד, ב). וְהַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר, אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא אוֹתוֹ תַּעֲבֹד וּבוֹ תִּדְבַּק (דברים י, כ). וְאַחַר כָּךְ, וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבַע (שם). אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה כְּאוֹתָן שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים, אַבְרָהָם, יוֹסֵף, אִיּוֹב. אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ, כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה (בראשית כב, יב). יוֹסֵף, דִּכְתִיב: אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲנִי יָרֵא (שם מב, יח). וְאִיּוֹב, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ, אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים וְסָר מֵרָע (איוב ב, ג). אוֹתוֹ תַּעֲבֹד, שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת. וּבוֹ תִּדְבַּק, שֶׁתְּכַבֵּד תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים וּתְהַנֶּה אוֹתָם מִנְּכָסֶיךָ. אָמַר לָהֶם מֹשֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא תִּהְיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁהִתַּרְתִּי לָכֶם לְהִשָּׁבַע בִּשְׁמוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בֶּאֱמֶת. אִם יֵשׁ בָּכֶם כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ, אַתֶּם רַשָּׁאִין לִישָּׁבַע. וְאִם לָאו, אֵינְכֶם רַשָּׁאִין לִישָּׁבַע אֲפִלּוּ בֶּאֱמֶת. לֹא תִּהְיֶה כְּאוֹתָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶן, הִשָּׁבֵעַ לַשֶּׁקֶר וְקַטֵּר לַבָּעַל (ירמיה ז, ט). אֶלָּא קַיֵּם כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ וְאַחַר כָּךְ אַתָּה שֶׁלִּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִם תָּשׁוּב יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם ה' אֵלַי תָּשׁוּב, וְאִם תָּסִיר שִׁקּוּצֶיךָ מִפָּנַי וְלֹא תָּנוּד (שם ד, א). וְאַחַר כָּךְ כָּתוּב אַחֲרָיו, וְנִשְׁבַּעְתָּ חַי ה' בֶּאֱמֶת וְגוֹ'. אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: אֲפִלּוּ עַל הָאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ יָפֶה לָאָדָם לְהִשָּׁבַע. לָמָּה, שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, לֹא יְהֵא אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּץ בִּנְדָרִים, וְלֹא בִּשְּׂחוֹק, וְלֹא לְהַטְעוֹת אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ בִּשְׁבוּעָה לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ שְׁבוּעָה. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּהַר הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם אַלְפַּיִם עֲיָרוֹת, וְכֻלָּם נֶחְרְבוּ עַל שְׁבוּעַת אֱמֶת, וְהִיא שֶׁל שָׁוְא. כֵּיצַד, הָיָה אָדָם אוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ, שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לִמְקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי וְאֹכַל וְאֶשְׁתֶּה, וְהוֹלְכִים וְעוֹשִׂין וּמְקַיְּמִין שְׁבוּעָתָם. וְכֻלָּם נֶחְרְבוּ. וּמָה הַנִּשְׁבָּע בֶּאֱמֶת כָּךְ, הַנִּשְׁבָּע לַשֶּׁקֶר עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶּחֱטָא וְשָׁמְעָה קוֹל אָלָה. וּכְשֶׁיָּבֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָדוּן אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דָּן אוֹתָם עִם מְכַשְּׁפִים וּמְנָאֲפִים וּבְנִשְׁבָּעִים לַשֶּׁקֶר. מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב: וְקָרַבְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם לַמִּשְׁפָּט וְהָיִיתִי עֵד מְמַהֵר בַּמְכַשְּׁפִים וּבַמְנָאֲפִים וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִים בִּשְׁמִי לַשֶּׁקֶר (מ״א ג, ה). וּמְחַיְּבָן וּמוֹרִידָן לַגֵּיהִנָּם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בְּפֶה שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לָכֶם לִהְיוֹת מְהַלְּלִים וּמְשַׁבְּחִים לִשְׁמִי, אַתֶּם מְחָרְפִים וּמְגַדְּפִים וְנִשְׁבָּעִים בִּשְׁמִי לַשֶּׁקֶר. שֶׁכָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת לְקַלֵּס אוֹתִי בְּרָאתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כָּל פֹּעַל ה' לְמַעֲנֵהוּ (משלי טז, ד). וְלֹא דַּיְּכֶם שֶׁאֵין אַתֶּם מְקַלְּסִין אוֹתִי, אֶלָּא מֵחָרְפִים וּמְגַדְּפִים. וְכֵן אָמַר הַכָּתוּב, וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ (ישעיה נז, כ). מָה הַיָּם הַזֶּה הַגַּלִּים שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ מִתְגָּאִים וְעוֹלִים, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מַגִּיעַ לַחוֹל הוּא נִשְׁבָּר וְחוֹזֵר, וַחֲבֵרוֹ רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ אַף הוּא שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּר, וּמִתְגָּאֶה וְעוֹלֶה וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר בּוֹ, כָּךְ הָרְשָׁעִים רוֹאִים אֵלּוּ אֶת אֵלּוּ וְהֵם מִתְגָּאִים. לְפִיכָךְ נִמְשְׁלוּ לַיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ. כָּךְ כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁעָמְדוּ, דּוֹרוֹ שֶׁל אֱנוֹשׁ, דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה, לֹא לִמְּדוּ אֵלּוּ אֶת אֵלּוּ אֶלָּא מִתְגָּאִים, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְשְׁלוּ לַיָּם. וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ, כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכַל (ישעיה נז, כ), לָרְשָׁעִים, אֵין לָהֶם נוֹחַ וַהֲנָיָה בָּעוֹלָם. וְלַצַּדִּיקִים יֵשׁ לָהֶם הַשְׁקֵט, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב וְשָׁקַט וְשַׁאֲנָן וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד (ירמיה ל, י). דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ, מָה הַיָּם הַזֶּה טִיטוֹ וְרִפְשׁוֹ עַל פִּיו, כָּךְ הָרְשָׁעִים סַרְיוֹתֵיהֶם, וְסִרְחוֹנָם עַל פִּיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ, וַיִּגְרְשׁוּ מֵימָיו רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט (ישעיה נז, כ). וְלֹא מִטּוֹבָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם שׁוֹמֵעַ חֵרוּפִין וְגִדּוּפִין, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ עֲוֹנוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶּחֱטָא וְשָׁמְעָה קוֹל אָלָה. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שְׁלֹשָה דְּבָרִים בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם וּשְׁלֹשָׁה אֵינָם בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ כוּ'. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַיְאַבְּדֵם (איוב יב, כב), מַשְׂגִּא כְּתִיב. וַיְאַבְּדֵם, מוֹרִידָן לָאֲבַדּוֹן. וְהַצַּדִּיקִים רוֹאִין אוֹתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי כִּי תּוֹלַעְתָּם לֹא תָמוּת וְאִשָּׁם לֹא תִּכְבֶּה (ישעיה סו, כד). (Lev. 5:1:) “And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing […, if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity].” This text is related (to Eccl. 5:1), “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart hasten to bring forth a word before God.” These [words refer to] people who vilify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. Come and see, when the celestial beings were created, those below were created with half of the [divine] name, as stated (in Is. 26:4), “for through Yh,38YH is the first half of the divine name, which the Hebrew spells out where the translation reads THE LORD. the Lord formed the worlds.”39The midrash interprets tsur ‘olamim as FORMED THE WORLDS (i.e., this world and the world to come) rather than as the more usual EVERLASTING ROCK. For similar interpretations, see yHag. 2:1 (77c); Men. 29b; Gen. R. 12:10; M. Pss. 62:1; 114:3; cf. also M. Pss. 118:14. But why were they not created with all of it? So as not to mention the full name [of the Holy One, blessed be He] with him. Woe to those creatures who vilify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, in vain. See what is written about offerings (in Lev. 1:2), “When one of you presents an offering to the Lord.” It does not say "to the Lord, an offering," but “an offering to the Lord” (so that who changes his mind about an offering in mid-sentence not mention God’s name for no reason).40Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:6; Ned. 10ab; Sifra to Lev. 1:2, Wayyiqra, Parashah 2; Sifre, Deut.32:3 (306); Gen. R. 1:13. And [yet] people vilify the name of the Lord in vain. It is therefore stated (in Eccl. 5:1), “Do not be rash with your mouth…. for God is in heaven and you are on earth.” For who would say that God is not in heaven and that people are not on earth? [Accordingly], Solomon has said, “Every time that the weakest of the weak is above, he defeats the warrior below.” Go and learn from Abimelech (in Jud. 9:53), “But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and cracked his skull.”41Since the woman was above the warrior Abimelech in the tower of Thebez, her killing him is an example of a relatively weak person defeating a warrior from above. And if he was a warrior among warriors and there was none like him, and [yet] a woman [was able to] kill him from above, how much the more so in the case of the Holy One, blessed be He! See what is written about Him (in Dan. 4:32), “All the inhabitants of the earth are of no account, and He does as He wishes [with the host of heaven and with the inhabitants of the earth].” It is also written (in Ps. 47:3), “For the Lord most high is awesome, a great King over all the earth,” and people are below. (Eccl. 5:1:) “Therefore let your words be few.” So what is there for you to do? To put your hand upon your mouth and upon your ear in order to neither speak nor hear. Ergo (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins.”42These words also appear in Lev. 5:21 [6:2]. (Lev. 5:1:) [“And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing,] when he is a witness to what he has either seen or come to know, [if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity].” This text is related (to Prov. 29:24), “The one who shares with a thief hates his own soul; he hears swearing and does not speak out.” What has caused anyone to say of him, “If a soul sins?” [It is] simply because he did not come and tell a sage, “So-and-so blasphemed the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.” He therefore shares his iniquities with him, as stated (in Lev. 5:1), “if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity.” Therefore Solomon has said (in Prov. 29:24), “The one who shares with a thief hates his own soul.” Just as when the thief is caught, his partner is convicted along with him;43Cf. Lev. R. 6:2. so whoever hears blasphemy of the Holy One, blessed be He, and does not speak out is convicted along with him. And let no one say, “What denunciation (lashon hara’ah) do I say?” The Holy One, blessed be He, has said (in Lev. 5:1ff.), “’On every matter,’ there is a denunciation in it. [But] with cursing the name, there is no denunciation.” Why? Because [it is] just like a case of a person cursing his companion. When he hears him, it is of no concern to him. But if he has cursed his father in his presence, he puts his life on the line and says, “You have cursed my father.” Moses said (in Deut. 32:6), “Is He not your Father who created you?” (Lev. 5:1:) [“And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing,] when he is a witness to what he has seen.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If you want to bear witness, bear witness; but if not, I will bear witness.” Thus it is stated (ibid.), “when he (He) is a witness.” And where is it shown that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called a witness? Where it is stated (in Jer. 29:23), “I am the One who knows and bears witness, says the Lord.” Come and see. All the parashioth written in this book have “mistake” written in them, except for this parashah, in which “mistake” is not mentioned.44In fact, MISTAKE (shegagah), i.e., UNINTENTIONAL SIN, does appear in this parashah (in 5:15, 18). Elsewhere in Lev. the word only appears in 4:2, 22, 27; 22:4.) About him Solomon has said (in Eccl. 5:5), “Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not say before the angel that it was a mistake,” (in Eccl. 5:1), “for God is in the heavens.” It is comparable to two people who threw stones at an image of a king.45Gk.: eikonion, a diminutive form of eikon. One was drunk, and one was in possession of his senses. Both of them were caught and went to trial. [The judge] rendered a [guilty] verdict46Gk.: apophasis. against the one with his senses and acquitted the one who was drunk. So it is in the case of whoever sins. It is concerning him that “mistake” is written (in Lev. 4:2) – “When a soul sins by mistake (rt.: shgg) [against any of the Lord's commandments]….”; (and likewise in Lev. 4:13) “And if the whole congregation of Israel should err (rt.: shgg).” And [about] all of them; because they sinned by mistake, they bring an offering and it shall be forgiven them. It is so stated (in Numb. 15:26), “The whole congregation of the Children of Israel and the stranger who resides in their midst shall be forgiven because [it happened] to all the people by mistake.” But the one who blasphemes receives a [guilty] verdict, as stated (in Lev. 24:16) “And the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death.” It is also written (in Jer. 4:2), “And you shall swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; then shall nations bless themselves in Him, and Him shall they glory.” Scripture also says (in Deut. 10:20), “The Lord your God you shall fear, Him you shall serve, to Him you shall hold fast”; then after that, “and by Him you shall swear.”47See Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 9:1; Numb. R. 9:1. (Ibid.:) “The Lord your God you shall fear,” so that you will be like those three of whom it is written, “he feared God (yr' 'lhym)”: Abraham, Joseph and Job. About Abraham it is written (in Gen. 22:12), “for now I know that you fear God (yr' 'lhym).” About Joseph it is written (in Gen. 42:18), “I fear (yr') God ('lhym).” About Job it is written (in Job 1:2), “he feared God (yr' 'lhym) and shunned evil.” (Deut. 10:20, cont.:) “Him you shall serve,” in that you will be busy with the Torah and with [fulfilling] the commandments. (Ibid. cont.:) “To him you shall hold fast,” in that you will honor the Torah scholars and benefit them with your property. Moses said to Israel, “Do not think that I have allowed you to swear by His name, even in truth. It is only, if all these conditions (mentioned earlier in the verse) abide with you, that you are entitled to swear; and if not, you are not entitled to swear [by His name], even in truth.” You shall not be like those of whom it is written (in Jer. 7:9), “[Will you …] swear falsely and sacrifice to Baal?” Rather, fulfill all these conditions and after that you are Mine, as stated (in Jer. 4:1), “If you return, O Israel, says the Lord, if you return unto Me [….]” Then after that [it says] (in vs. 2), “And you shall swear, ‘as the Lord lives’….” Our masters have said, “Even in truth one cannot swear.” Why? Thus have our masters taught (in Dem. 2:3): Let not someone from Israel be unrestrained in vows48See also Ned. 20a. or in jesting, (or to lead one's companion astray with an oath by saying it is not an oath). There is a story about the royal mountain where there were two thousand towns, and all of them were destroyed because of a truthful oath that was unnecessary.49Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 9:1; Numb. R. 9:1; cf. also Git. 57a. Now if one who swears in truth has this happen, how much the more so in the case of one who swears to a lie? How did they act? One would utter an oath to his companion that he was going to such and such a place to eat and drink. Then they would go and act to fulfill their oath. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing.” Now when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to judge all people in the world to come, He will judge them along with sorcerers and adulterers. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Mal. 3:5), “Then I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear to a lie (in My name).” And I am finding them guilty and bringing them down to Gehinnom. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “With the mouth that I gave you to be praising and glorifying My name, you are reproaching, blaspheming, and swearing to a lie in My name? Since I created all people to praise Me, as stated (in Prov. 16:4), “The Lord has made everything for His own purpose.” So is it not enough for you that you do not praise Me, but [that] you blaspheme [Me as well]! The Scripture has said (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, [for it cannot rest (rt.: shqt)].” [They are] just like this [kind of] sea which has waves in its midst exalting themselves upward. When each and every one of them reaches the sand, it is broken and returns (hozer).50The word also means “repents.” And its companion also looks at it breaking, and [yet] exalts itself upward without repenting (hozer). So are the wicked, who look at one another and exalt themselves. Therefore, they are likened to the sea, as stated (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea….” So did all the generations, the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (i.e., of the Tower of Babel), not learn from each other. Instead they were exalting themselves. Therefore they are compared to the sea (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea.” (Is. 57:20, cont.:) “For it cannot rest (rt.: shqt).” The wicked have no rest in the world, but the righteous have serenity (shqt), as stated (in Jer. 30:10), “and Jacob shall again have peace (shqt) and quiet with none to make him afraid.” Another interpretation (of Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea.” Just as the sea has its dirt and mud in its mouth, so the wicked have their stench in their mouth. Thus it is stated (at the end of Is. 57:20), “and its waters toss up slime and mud.” It is not from choice that one hears blasphemies and invectives, but from the midst of the sins which are within him. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins and hears a voice swearing….”51Most translations equate the sinning with the swearing. This more literal translation illustrates the point that the swearing comes from a soul which has already sinned. You find [that there are] three things under human control and three things not under human control ….52Tanh., Gen. 6:12 (i.e., Toledot 12); Gen. R. 67:12. And not only [now] but even in the world to come. [So it is stated] (in Job 12:23), “He exalts (msgy') nations and destroys them.” The written text (ketiv) is “mshg'” (which means, misleads).53In unpointed Hebrew the Sin (S) and the Shin (Sh) look alike. Since MShG’, which is pointed mashge’, can also be spelled with the extra yod (i.e., Y), the two words are interchangable in an unpointed text. Then He destroys them [and] brings them down to Abaddon,54Abbadon is a name for Hell, which means “destruction.” while the righteous watch them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:24), “Then they shall go out and look at the corpses of the people who have rebelled against Me; their worms shall not die nor shall their fire be quenched”.